Protest will have crippling effect on reeling economy

Islamabad: The FPCCI Capital Office on Friday said long march announced by Tehrik-i-Minhajul Quran (TMQ) Chief Dr Tahirul Qadri will result in losses to the tune of billions to the business community.

The long march will paralyse life in the federal capital while the businessmen of the Blue Area will have to brave major losses due to planned three-day closure and hooliganism, said VP FPCCI Mirza Abdul Rehman and Malik Sohail, Chairman Media, PR and Diplomatic Affairs, FPCCI. They said that keeping in view the problems the masses will face; Allama Tahirul Qadri should call off long march or change the venue.
The said that business community is already facing hard times owing to absence of enabling policies, deteriorating security situation and energy crisis therefore they couldn’t afford to close their shops to ensure smooth flow of the long march.Mirza Abdul Rehman and Malik Sohail said that we are already facing many problems and it is possible that long march would result in law and other situation which is a grave threat to businesses.

They said that the infrastructure of Islamabad is unable to bear the load of additional hundreds of thousands of participants in the march.The business leaders lauded the stance of Interior Minister Rehman Malik who said that the government would not issue a no-objection certificate to the Dr Qadri for holding a rally in Blue Area.They asked the government to take no risks with regard to the security arrangements for the rally lest it bring a band name to country.

Long march of Qadri whose party was even not registered with Election Commission of Pakistan will not bring any social change but it can sabotage the election which will pave the way for another dictatorial regime in Pakistan, said Mirza Abdul Rehman and Malik Sohail.
The said that Dr. Qadri will be sole responsible if anyone is harmed, adding that Government should not allow moves that can pollute the political process.Questioning strategy to stop long march through containers, they said that it has multiplied the problems of the masses.